until then, please note that i have bought two new records which i wish to draw to the attention of all right-minded internet bores.

napalm death "leaders not followers part 2" (century media)

german label releases a 19-track 43 minute whirlwind of britain's best rock band pillaging various death, thrash and hardcore classics, including slaying sacred cows such as discharge's "war's no fairytale", siege's "conform" (a billowing attack that destroys intense degree's version!) and something by sepultura. other highlights including their covers of cryptic slaughter, anti-cimex ("victim of a bomb raid" being the song that sore throat turned in to "victim of a stagedive", unless my ears truly deceive me) and die kreuzen. while lacking the brutal focus of "leaders not followers" part 1 - its eleven minutes virtually compelled you to listen to the whole thing in one blast - there is more than enough here to throw on your next napalm death mixtape. blisterama.

"cappo presents resilience " (main rock records)

and this is fantastic. it has been a fine year for singles - the best i can remember since 1986 / 87 - and while this 12" of 500 copies goes out in its overlord and producer cappo's name, it is of merit chiefly for allowing his nottingham compatriots lee ramsay and mr 45 to step out of his and scor-zay-zee's considerable shadows and produce their best ever works, with ramsay's "verbal latitude" and 45's "freedom" cuts (there are also a couple of cappo-based tunes that enthrall but seem slightly lonely without the usual p brothers block-shaking beats). both songs, like skinnyman's feted "i'll be surprised", are superbly produced, clean, and would sustain serious radio rotation if anyone out there could be bothered to take one step further beyond the - admittedly superb - new dizzee and fulham's equally deserving chart postergirl estelle... ramsay is the more exuberant, repping freely and cutting it up nice with some dizzying stuttering in the chorus, while 45 leans back to give us the gen on his upbringing and some free contraception tips. what makes both these songs so fiiine is not so much the flows of either rapper, but the quality of the arrangement and production: if cappo was truly responsible for orchestrating the mix, rather than just some "executive production" assignment, then he has major talent in that direction too. anyway, this is just ace.

i am waiting with much anticipation for the harper lee album. and then (only) slightly less so the tinchy stryder and universal soldiers. other tunes being listened to now: cocteau twins best of, the fairways "this is farewell" (some ace tracks, some less so), klashnekoff again... and, for reasons that are unclear to me but it is nonetheless welcome, "no threat" by extreme noise terror. in a crossover chart garage/ukhh-fest, i also forced L. to listen to: "stand up tall" (highest chart position: 10), "wot do u call it ?" (highest chart position: 31) and "1980" (highest chart position: 14).